Potato-bug picker.



PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905;

L. E. MOGOVNEY. POTATO BUG PIOKBR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.9.1904.

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

I72 vervzor/ may n u E E:;i 3203 5? No. 784,628. I PATENTED MAR. 14,1905.

L. E. MGGGVNBY.

POTATO BUG PIOKER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.9.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 VV z'tn ess es MM /-37 I WZ W Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS E. MeGOVNEY, OF MOKENA, ILLINOIS.

POTATO-BUG PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,628, dated March14, 1905. Application filed April 9, 1904:. Serial No. 202,424.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS E. MoGrovNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mokena, in the county of Will and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Bug Pickers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for brushing,picking, or knocking potato-bugs from potato-vines or removing insectsfrom other vegetable foliage.

The especial object of the invention is to provide a device that can bedrawn or propelled along the rows in which the plants are growing, sothat the machine will straddle the plants, and in which aseries ofoscillating brushes will come in contact with the foliage of the plantsand brush or knock therefrom the bugs into troughs carried by themachine, from which troughs the bugs may be removed from time to time orinto which receptacles may be placed any suitable liquid adapted to killthe bugs.

A special object is to provide in such a device means for gathering andguiding the foliage so that it will be effectually acted upon by thebrushes and at the same time will not be injured by coming in contactwith the machine.

While my machine is shown in the accompanying drawings as especiallyadapted to be drawn by hand, it will be apparent that by making the samelarge enough it can be drawn by a team and can be used on brushes orplants of any size.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application,Figure 1 is a top plan view of my machine complete. Fig. 2 is a view onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3 ofFig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the machine proper.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A represents a rectangular frame inwhich are cross-bars a a, said frame furnishing a support or carrier forthe operative parts of the machine. Pivoted to the sides of the frames,

. on the bolts If 7)*, are hangers B B, in which are mounted,respectively, axles 1/ On these axles are mounted ground-Wheels O O, thelatter furnishing means for driving the axle 7/ on which is mounted agrooved pulley G. Suitably secured to the outer sides of the frame A arebug-receiving troughs D D, hav ing vertical sides d d, the upper edgesof which are attached to the frame. The inner edges of the troughs arespaced apart a suiiicient distance to permit to pass therebetween thepotato or other plants upon which the device is being used. To providefor the adjustment at different heights of the-frame A, and the troughssecured thereto, from the ground, I secure to the hangers B B a bentWire framef", the forward portion of which rests upon the tongue F,which is secured to the under side of the frame by bolt as shown in Fig.2. On the upper side of the tongue are a series of pins f, between whichthe forward portion of the wire frame is adapted to rest and be heldagainst displacement. It will be apparent that by adjusting the frame fback and forth along the upper side of the tongue to the extentpermitted by the series of pins f the angle of the hangers B B relativeto the frame will be changed, and hence the distance of the frame fromthe ground will be altered accordingly.

Extending longitudinally on the frame between the ends of same and thecross-bars a are cylindrical brush-holders E E, the ends of which areprovided with bearings 4; (r and also provided with bristles e, whichare so set relative to the two holders that the bristles extenddownwardly and outwardlytoward opposite sides of the frame A. At theinner end of the brush-holders are secured crank-arms 6 which arepivotally connected at their upper ends with the rods or links 0, theopposite ends of which are pivotally connected with other crank-arms ea, the inner ends of which are mounted on the shaft 0 which is suitablyjournaled in the outer ends of brackets a, the inner ends of which arebolted to one side of the frame A. These brackets extend upwardly andoutwardly from the frame, and mounted on the shaft e between thebrackets is a pulley g, over which is arranged and travels an endlesscord or rope 9 which also travels over the grooved pulley G. It will beseen that the grooved pulleys G g are at right angles to each other.

Hence the rope g is crossed, as shown, and in order to hold the ropeunder proper tension I provide atension groove-pulley g", which ismounted on a shaft journaled in the lower end of a hanger Saidtension-pulley is held by a coil-spring 9, one end of which is securedat the rear corner of the frame A, all as shown in Figs. 1 and &.

Extending forwardly of the body of the device and secured to the inneredges of the troughs D D are wire yokes d (Z bent to converge, as shownin Fig. 1, whereby foliage of the plants will be drawn toward the centerand into the space between the inner edges of the troughs D, thusgathering the foliage in position to be most effectively reached by thebristles e of the oscillating brush-holders E.

From the construction above described it will be seen that upon themachine being drawn forward the rotation of the axle If from the turningof the wheel Gr will be communicated to the grooved pulley G, will causethe cable g to travel over the disk 5 and thereby drive the crank-armsa, which are fixed on the shaft of the pulley g, and from saidcrank-arms power will be communicated, through the links or rods 0 tothe crank-arms a", which are fixed on the inner ends of thebrush-holders E, with the result that said brush-holders will beoscillated and the bristles thereof, which extend downwardly andoutwardly from the holders, will be driven back and forth over thefoliage and over the tops of the troughs 1), thereby knocking orbrushing from the foliage into the troughs such bugs as may be thereon.

The brushing means secured to the holders may be twi s, strips of stiffcloth, or other substitutes for bristles.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the class described, a brush-carrying frame, draftmeans connected withsaid frame, hangers secured to andsupporting saidframe, and adjustable means connecting said hangers with said draftelement, whereby the height of the frame above the ground may beregulated.

2. In a machine of the class described, a frame, brushes mounted on saidframe, means for operating said brushes, hangers secured to andsupporting said frame, a tongue secured to said frame, a rod secured tosaid hangers and means on said tongue for engaging said rod whereby thelatter may be adjusted relative to the tongue, for the purposedescribed.

3. in a machine of the class described, a su'pporting-frame, a tonguesecured to the frame, adjustable hangers secured to said frame,ground-wheels carrying said hangers, means for adjusting said hangersfrom said tongue, bug-receiving troughs supported under said frame,brushes mounted above said troughs, and means for operating said brushesfor the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEW 18 E. MCGOVNEY.

\Vitnesses:

1*. BENJAMI GERTRUDE PUDDIGOMBE.

